Reviews and Overviews

Remission in Schizophrenia:
Proposed Criteria and Rationale for Consensus

Nancy C. Andreasen, M.D., Ph.D.
William T. Carpenter, Jr., M.D.
John M. Kane, M.D.
Robert A. Lasser, M.D.
Stephen R. Marder, M.D.
Daniel R. Weinberger, M.D.
New advances in the understanding of
schizophrenia etiology, course, and treat-
ment have increased interest on the part
of patients, families, advocates, and pro-
fessionals in the development of consen-
sus-defined standards for clinical status
and improvement, including illness remis-
sion and recovery. As demonstrated in the
area of mood disorders, such standards
provide greater clarity around treatment
goals, as well as an improved framework
for the design and comparison of investi-
gational trials and the subsequent evalua-
tion of the effectiveness of interventions.
Unlike the approach to mood disorders,
however, the novel application of the
concept of standard outcome criteria to
schizophrenia must reflect the wide heter-
ogeneity of its long-term course and out-
come, as well as the variable effects of
different treatments on schizophrenia
symptoms. As an initial step in developing
operational criteria, an expert working
group reviewed available definitions and
assessment instruments to provide a con-
ceptual framework for symptomatic, func-
tional, and cognitive domains in schizo-
phrenia as they relate to remission of
illness. The first consensus-based opera-
tional criteria for symptomatic remission
in schizophrenia are based on distinct
thresholds for reaching and maintaining
improvement, as opposed to change crite-
ria, allowing for alignment with traditional
concepts of remission in both psychiatric
and nonpsychiatric illness. This innovative
approach for standardizing the definition
for outcome in schizophrenia will require
further examination of its validity and util-
ity, as well as future refinement, particu-
larly in relation to psychosocial and cog-
nitive function and dysfunction. These
criteria should facilitate research and sup-
port a positive, longer-term approach to
studying outcome in patients with schizo-
phrenia.

(Am J Psychiatry 2005; 162:441449)

T he Remission in Schizophrenia Working Group was

convened in April 2003 to develop a consensus definition
of remission as applied to schizophrenia. The need for
such a definition is timely because of recent insights into
and expectations around the long-term course of schizo-
phrenia, including the evolution of psychosocial and
pharmacological therapies for psychotic disorders, vari-
able definitions of treatment outcome in schizophrenia,
and evidence that traditional predictions of generally poor
outcome may have been overstated. In addition, the po-
tential utility of a consensus definition of remission in
schizophrenia has been reinforced by the successful appli-
cation of remission and recovery concepts to the treat-
ment of patients with mood and anxiety disorders.
The working group sought to develop operational crite-
ria for remission, using as a model consensus work in
mood and anxiety disorders conducted over the past de-
cade (13). In this consensus, remission was defined by
using an absolute threshold of severity of the diagnostic
symptoms of schizophrenia, rather than percentage im-
provements from a particular baseline. This shift in char-
acterizing improvement through means of threshold cri-
teria will permit direct cross-trial comparisons. The real-
world interpretability of change scores as a primary out-
come measure is limited because of the variability of base-
line symptom intensity across interventional trials. Specif-
ically, the proposed remission criteria define remission as
a low-mild symptom intensity level, where such absent,
borderline, or mild symptoms do not influence an individ-
uals behavior. Such symptom thresholds have sometimes
also been augmented by functional improvement criteria
in a variety of previous definitions of remission or recovery
in schizophrenia (47), but this working group chose to fo-
cus solely on symptomatic remission for reasons de-
scribed subsequently.
Precedents for remission criteria exist for both psychiat-
ric and nonpsychiatric illnesses. Traditionally, remission
criteria in nonpsychiatric illnesses have been character-
ized by the abatement of disease symptoms. For example,
complete remission in non-Hodgkins lymphoma requires
the patient to be in normal health without evidence of
lymphoma, with no lymph nodes larger than 1.5 cm in the
long axis on computerized tomography scans, although
this node size is larger than normal in a person without
lymphoma (8). Similarly, remission in rheumatoid arthri-
tis is defined as the absence of fatigue, as well as negligible
morning stiffness, and a lack of joint pain, tenderness, and
soft tissue swelling, accompanied by a normal erythrocyte

Am J Psychiatry 162:3, March 2005 http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org 441

REMISSION IN SCHIZOPHRENIA
sedimentation rate (9). Comparatively, remission may be
characterized by the complete absence of symptoms in ill-
nesses for which treatment is clinically oriented toward
cure, versus illnesses for which treatment is oriented to-
ward remission-recovery as the clinical goal.
In the case of noncurable, progressive illnesses with
psychiatric and nonpsychiatric components, such as mul-
tiple sclerosis, consensus on remission as an absence of
symptoms has not been achieved. Here, the majority
(85%) of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis is termed
secondary-progressive multiple sclerosis, where remis-
sions are often associated with some symptomatic resid-
ual dysfunction (10). To date, remission in psychiatric ill-
nesses, such as anxiety disorders, has been objectively
defined not by the complete absence of anxious or depres-
sive symptoms but rather by minimal symptoms with mild
disability (11). One consensus challenge regarding remis-
sion in schizophrenia surrounds the recognition that al-
though the symptoms of many anxiety and depressive dis-
orders coexist with normal life experience, the commonly
recognized symptoms of schizophrenia lie outside this ex-
perience. However, there is some evidence for the conti-
nuity of psychotic symptoms (e.g., delusions and halluci-
nations) with normal experience (12, 13), and negative
symptoms (e.g., avolition, alogia) clearly are on a contin-
uum with normality.
In recent years there has been an appropriate increase
in emphasis on clinical outcomes that are meaningful to
patients, families, and clinicians, as well as a greater focus
on functional recovery. For a disorder such as schizophre-
nia, complete recovery implies the ability to function in
the community, socially and vocationally, as well as being
relatively free of disease-related psychopathology. Recov-
ery is conceptualized, therefore, as a more demanding and
longer-term phenomenon than remission, consistent with
the work of various research groups (7, 14). Remission is a
necessary but not sufficient step toward recovery. The
working group chose to define remission as a state in
which patients have experienced an improvement in core
signs and symptoms to the extent that any remaining
symptoms are of such low intensity that they no longer in-
terfere significantly with behavior and are below the
threshold typically utilized in justifying an initial diagnosis
of schizophrenia. The working group struggled with the
decision of whether the complete absence of any core
signs and symptoms should be required, but on balance
the group felt that the proposed threshold described
herein was the most appropriate, on both clinical and
heuristic grounds.
Consensus regarding operational criteria for recovery,
which might include improvements in cognition or psy-
chosocial functioning, was considered outside the scope
of the working group, because more research is needed on
this topic. As mentioned earlier, such criteria are the focus
of ongoing multidisciplinary efforts seeking to incorpo-
rate the viewpoints of patients, caregivers, and clinicians
442 http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org
(7), as well as an evolving appreciation for the relationship
between improvements in symptoms, cognition, and
functionality. Because cognitive impairments in schizo-
phrenia are of a continuous nature (in contrast to the epi-
sodic intensity of psychotic symptoms) and because the
association of specific symptoms with specific cognitive
deficits remains under active investigation, it is not yet
possible to incorporate an extensive knowledge base re-
garding psychosocial or cognitive dysfunction into defini-
tions of remission or recovery in schizophrenia.
Remission Criteria
in Mood and Anxiety Disorders
In developing criteria for remission in schizophrenia,
the working group used as a model the development of
criteria for disease state and change criteria in mood and
anxiety disorders, particularly major depressive disorder.
Early clinical trials of antidepressant therapies were char-
acterized by inconsistent definitions of change criteria,
leading in turn to inconsistent evaluations of therapeutic
approaches (1). The development of the Hamilton De-
pression Rating Scale in 1960, its refinement over succeed-
ing years, and its gradual incorporation as a standard
measure in clinical trials provided clinical researchers
with a consistent tool to assess change in symptoms over
time (14). However, despite the use of standardized, vali-
dated rating scales for symptom and disease severity,
inconsistent use and application of terms such as re-
currence, relapse, response, remission, and recovery re-
mained widespread. Response, in particular, was used as
the defining measure of treatment efficacy in clinical trials
of most new pharmacological agents, resulting in a thera-
peutic focus on short-term improvements and providing
little guidance to clinicians regarding long-term disease
management.
Recognizing the clinical need for consistency in defin-
ing outcomes, particularly for chronic mental illness, a
task force on the psychobiology of depression was con-
vened by the MacArthur Foundation in 1988 to evaluate
historical descriptions of change criteria and to develop
internally consistent, empirical definitions, as well as op-
erational criteria, for response, remission, and recurrence
in major depressive disorder (1). This effort was based on
a conceptualization approach that moved from the rec-
ognition of change criteria as a valid construct, through
definitions of these change criteria, to operational criteria
for their assessment (1). In addition to developing defini-
tions for these clinical concepts, this task force suggested
methods through which their utility could be assessed, in-
cluding reanalysis of existing data and prospective studies
using outcomes guided by the new criteria (1).
The task force examining major depressive disorder in-
corporated criteria for both disease severity and duration
of improvement and suggested that the instruments used
for symptom severity assessments be test-retest reliable,
Am J Psychiatry 162:3, March 2005

easily completed in a clinical setting, and able to provide
value in establishing a prognosis for future disease course
(1). The task force proposed a definition for remission,
based on the 17-item Hamilton depression scale total
score, as maintenance of an endpoint score of 7 for at
least 2 but less than 6 months. To facilitate broader accep-
tance of the remission concept, criteria based on the
Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia and
the Beck Depression Inventory were also proposed.
During the past decade, the definition of symptomatic
remission in major depression has been incorporated into
clinical studies of treatment efficacy, confirming that re-
mission is a more stringent standard than response and
suggesting that remission can be used in conjunction
with, or even to replace, other outcomes in efficacy evalu-
ations (15). In addition, the remission concept has facili-
tated comparisons of therapeutic success not only be-
tween pharmacological agents but also across a wide
spectrum of treatment modalities, encompassing psy-
chosocial and biological approaches, alone and in com-
bination (16, 17). Recent updates by the Depression and
Anxiety Working Group have resulted in expansion of the
remission concept to encompass sustained symptom re-
mission during the maintenance phase, in order to sup-
port clinical emphasis on extending and maintaining clin-
ical improvement. To this end, specific time frames have
been applied to the remission definition during these
phases (18).
The successful implementation of the conceptualization
approach to defining change criteria in major depression
has led to similar efforts in panic disorder (18), treatment-
resistant depression (19), generalized anxiety disorder (20),
and eating disorders (21). In general, these efforts initially
emphasized symptomatic improvements, rather than func-
tional improvement, as the primary criteria for defining re-
mission; the evaluation of functional improvement has
generally been incorporated into definitions of recovery
and wellness. In generalized anxiety disorder, for exam-
ple, response and remission are defined, respectively, as a
reduction in and sustained control of symptoms rated with
the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale. In contrast, the defini-
tion of recovery requires sustained symptom remission
along with return of function to near-normal levels (with
some disease vulnerability); wellness is further defined as
functional normality in the absence of disease (20).
In summary, the development and use of remission cri-
teria in mood disorders is instructive for the development
of similar criteria as applied to schizophrenia. The appli-
cability to schizophrenia is based on the proven utility of
operationalized remission criteria in redefining treatment
expectations to raise the bar for existing and novel ther-
apies, in enhancing study design and facilitating cross-
study comparisons, in providing a single benchmark for
longitudinal assessments of disease course, and in re-
casting concepts of long-term care of patients with mood
disorders in terms of a positive, attainable outcome. In
Am J Psychiatry 162:3, March 2005
ANDREASEN, CARPENTER, KANE, ET AL.
considering possible definitions of remission in schizo-
phrenia, important features include applicability to clini-
cal practice across a wide range of treatment settings,
utility in research settings, and incorporation of both
symptom severity and time components.
Application of the Conceptualization
Approach to Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders differ sub-
stantially from mood disorders in both disease character
and disease course, and any definition of remission in
schizophrenia should reflect these characteristic differ-
ences. For many years, schizophrenia was regarded as a life-
time chronic illness with little or no hope of recovery. In
fact, dramatic improvement in a patient with a diagnosis of
schizophrenia was regarded by many clinicians as evidence
of original misdiagnosis (4). The refinement of knowledge
regarding the clinical course of schizophrenia, improve-
ments in psychotherapeutic techniques, and the introduc-
tion of antipsychotic medications began to alter this view,
with consideration of possible parameters to define recov-
ery appearing in the literature as early as 1983 (22).
Psychosocial and vocational therapies have also played
a critical role in improving long-term outcome. The effec-
tiveness of family treatment, cognitive behavior therapy,
and rehabilitation models has been demonstrated in a
range of settings and clinical trial models (2325). In addi-
tion, assertive case management has received increased
attention as a mechanism to prevent and resolve major so-
cial needs and crises (26). In the United States, however,
the availability of such key supports varies substantially
between localities, and social and vocational interven-
tions are seldom applied in a manner consistent with op-
timal clinical outcome (23, 25, 27).
There also now exists a range of pharmacological and
nonpharmacological interventions with proven effective-
ness, but with variable effect on specific disease features;
pharmacological treatments are also characterized by
substantial differences in the nature and severity of ad-
verse effects (2830). This variability highlights the need
for and importance of establishing criteria for clinical im-
provement that can be applied across multiple treatment
modalities and specific therapies.
In addition to the development of improved therapeutic
options, the disease course of schizophrenia has been
more fully characterized in recent years. Although schizo-
phrenia exhibits substantial heterogeneity with respect to
severity and course over time, typical features of disease
course have been summarized, with support from models
presenting schizophrenia as a neurodevelopmental disor-
der with a substantial hereditary component (31). From a
premorbid stage characterized by nonspecific cognitive,
motor, and social impairments, patients move into an ex-
tended prodromal stage during which mood, cognitive,
psychosocial, and even mild psychotic symptoms of vary-
http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org 443
REMISSION IN SCHIZOPHRENIA
ing severity and duration may appear. The targeting of
these early stages for therapeutic intervention, however,
has been frustrated by the nonspecificity of the symptoms
and their lack of predictive value (31). Attempts at early
treatment have highlighted the substantial duration of
time commonly elapsing between symptom onset and di-
agnosis in first-episode schizophrenia. Although most pa-
tients improve significantly after their first episode is
treated, the majority experience subsequent episodes,
with only a small fraction being able to regain premorbid
levels of functionality (32).
The cycle of relapse, often accompanied by noncompli-
ance with treatment or suboptimal treatment, produces
incomplete or unsustained symptom remission in many
patients. This condition may subsequently lead to chronic
illness characterized by substantial morbidity and persis-
tent deficits in cognition and psychosocial function. Al-
though this progressive downward spiral is characteris-
tic for some patients, others may experience a relatively
circumscribed deterioration early in the illness, with
symptomatic and functional status stabilizing thereafter
(31). Practice guidelines developed by the American
Psychiatric Association codified a three-phase model of
schizophrenia disease course, with the recognition that
these phases merge into one another without absolute,
clear boundaries between them (33). In this model, the
acute phase, characterized by florid psychosis and se-
vere positive and/or negative symptoms, is followed by a
stabilization phase, during which symptoms recede and
decrease in severity, and a subsequent stable phase with
reduced symptom severity and relative symptom stability.
According to these guidelines, the majority of patients al-
ternate between acute psychotic episodes and stable
phases with full or partial remission (33), although the
operational criteria for remission remain undefined. Also
unclear is the extent to which symptomatic remission
must occur in order to achieve improved functioning and
ultimately recovery and autonomy. Regardless of clinical
course, it can be argued that current treatment perspec-
tives are constrained by a view of schizophrenia focused
on preventing relapse, in contrast to therapy goals for
which long-term symptom remission serves as a founda-
tion for building functional gains.
In light of substantial improvements in understanding
schizophrenia and its treatment options, the working
group posited that symptomatic remission is a definable
concept and an increasingly achievable stage in the treat-
ment of schizophrenia, serving to expand the current ceil-
ing of patient progress beyond stability. Further, the im-
portance of defining a remitted state is highlighted by the
observation that psychosocial therapies and rehabilitation
are most effective when positive and negative symptoms
are adequately controlled. The working group concluded
that progress toward an operational definition of remission
in schizophrenia is warranted at this time because of
444 http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org
the emergence of nuanced insights into the etiology,
pathophysiology, and disease course in schizophrenia,
based on extensive longitudinal research and recent
genetic findings;
the availability of increasingly effective psychothera-
peutic and pharmacological options for treating
schizophrenia, including oral and long-acting atypical
antipsychotic medications;
the need to facilitate standardized comparisons across
treatments and therapeutic modalities, especially
given the ongoing lack of clinically relevant clarity in
comparing different treatments on the basis of clinical
trials that use percent improvement from baseline as
an efficacy measure; and
the opportunity that such a definition provides to ele-
vate and more clearly articulate expectations on the
part of patients, caregivers, and mental health provid-
ers for positive long-term outcome in schizophrenia.
Additional impetus for working toward a consensus def-
inition of remission is provided by prospective and retro-
spective studies (7, 3439), many of which are recent, that
define remission and recovery using a range of criteria (Ta-
ble 1). Although the symptom-based criteria used in these
studies are a marked improvement over the generalized
descriptions (such as mild illness or no active psycho-
sis) that predominated in earlier literature, the lack of
consistent definitions prevents cross-study comparison
and limits the generalizability of results.
Current Research in Remission
and Recovery in Schizophrenia
Recent efforts to describe remission in schizophrenia
have been based on longitudinal symptom evaluation
combined with a defined time threshold in early-episode
or acutely ill populations. However, most of these studies
were designed with the goal of identifying prognostic fac-
tors for the likelihood of remission, rather than establish-
ment of operational remission criteria (3437). Studies of
individuals with chronic schizophrenia have used more
variable criteria for remission, including time without
hospitalization, decreased delusional thought, and im-
proved insight into illness, with these definitions less often
including a time threshold (7, 38, 39) (Table 1). However,
the widespread use of continuous symptom-based assess-
ment instruments to characterize degree of improvement
in patients with schizophrenia suggests that it is an appro-
priate time to define categories of achieved clinical status
based on those instruments.
The working group concluded that any definition of re-
mission in schizophrenia should include a significant time
component and be applicable to patients across stages of
disease course. This approach suggests that assessment
instrument(s) used in the definition of remission should
be objective and consistent with regard to test-retest re-
Am J Psychiatry 162:3, March 2005
 ANDREASEN, CARPENTER, KANE, ET AL.

TABLE 1. Studies Defining Criteria for Remission in Schizophrenia

Study Year Criteria for Remission
Studies defining remission in populations
with chronic schizophrenia
Curtis et al. (38) 2001 In a single time point evaluation, Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) total score of <30;
scores of <3 (moderate) on the affective flattening item and <2 (mild) on the alogia,
anhedonia, avolition, and attention items of the Scale for the Assessment of Negative
Symptoms (SANS); Global Assessment of Functioning scale score of >60; no psychotic
symptoms for more than 1 month; no hospitalization for 3 months; no more than one
residual symptom; presence of employment; and association with friends.
Liberman et al. (7) 2002 BPRS positive and negative symptom item scores of 4 (moderate) over 24 months
duration.
Yen et al. (39) 2002 Any one of three Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale subscales (positive, negative,
general psychopathology) with a mean score of 2 (minimal) at a single time point
evaluation.
Studies defining remission in populations
with early-episode or acute schizophrenia
Lieberman et al. (34) 1993 Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia, Change Version, psychotic and
disorganization items, positive symptom item score of 3 (suspiciousness, delusions,
hallucinations, impaired understandability, bizarre behavior); Clinical Global
Impression (CGI) severity scale score of 3; CGI global impression of change score
of 1 or 2 for 8 consecutive weeks; full remission when no residual positive symptoms
and scores of 2 (mild) on all SANS negative symptom global items.
Amminger et al. (35) 1997 Absence of hallucinations, delusions, thought disorder, and catatonic behavior
for 8 consecutive weeks.
Eaton et al. (36) 1998 Absence of Interim Follow-Up Schedule-defined criteria (hallucinations, delusions,
thought disorder, extreme psychomotor disorder) for at least 3 months.
Ho et al. (37) 2002 Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms positive symptom global items score
of 2 (mild) on psychotic and disorganized dimensions for 8 consecutive weeks.

producibility. A symptom-based, validated assessment in-
strument provides the necessary objectivity, consistency,
and independence to enable clinicians and researchers to
define remission after a first episode and subsequent psy-
chotic episodes and throughout periods of chronic, non-
acute illness. In addition, such instruments can be used to
evaluate longitudinal status and to support a shifting fo-
cus from acute treatment to the continuation and mainte-
nance phases in long-term care.
The working group explicitly considered the incorpora-
tion of symptomatic, functional (activities of daily living,
social relationships, employment, quality of life), and cog-
nitive outcomes into the definition of remission. The paral-
lel work conducted in mood and anxiety disorders, and the
observation that longer-term symptomatic quiescence is a
common, but not absolute, prerequisite for functional im-
provement, suggest that a two-phase model for patient
outcomes (remission followed by recovery) may character-
ize these illnesses well and may potentially be applicable to
schizophrenia as well at some time in the future. However,
as described earlier, an adequate knowledge base is not yet
available concerning the long-term course of cognitive and
psychosocial outcomes in schizophrenia and their rela-
tionship to changes in symptom patterns and severity. Fur-
ther, working group consensus recognized that the course
of schizophrenia may often be quite complex and present
significant challenges to creating a criterion-based defini-
tion incorporating function and cognitive components.
That is, functional improvement can occur in some pa-
tients in parallel with ongoing moderate symptoms, with
some individuals developing coping mechanisms that en-
able them to function despite their illness. The working
group therefore concluded that a consensus definition of
symptomatic remission, followed by broad dissemination
and use in both research and clinical settings, would in
turn facilitate the subsequent development of a consensus
definition of remission or recovery that includes cognitive
and functional outcomes.
Development of Criteria for Remission
in Schizophrenia
As a starting point, the working group reviewed the his-
torical constructs for schizophrenia, as well as subsequent
studies that used factor analysis to examine the illness
construct (4051). For many years categorical approaches
were used to identify and classify disease types and sub-
types. The traditional categorical Kraepelinian subtypes
have formed the basis for the DSM approach to classifying
schizophrenia in all its recent editions. Although these
classifications were retained in DSM-IV, an alternative di-
mensional approach was also carefully considered and in-
cluded in the appendix for future consideration.
Categorical and dimensional approaches have impor-
tant conceptual differences. Although categories divide
patients into groups, dimensions divide symptoms into
groups. Categorical approaches tend to have the problem
that patients disorders often do not present in classic
pure forms. Dimensional approaches recognize the fact
that symptom groups overlap in individual patients (40).
The consensus of the working group was that it would be
useful to base the definition of symptomatic remission on
the more innovative and heuristic dimensional approach
to descriptive psychopathology.

Am J Psychiatry 162:3, March 2005 http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org 445

REMISSION IN SCHIZOPHRENIA
Dimensions of psychopathology are typically identified
by using the statistical techniques of factor analysis. Nu-
merous factor analytic studies have been conducted, with
highly replicable results (4147). Three dimensions have
been identified. The first, a negative symptom dimension
(also referred to as psychomotor poverty), includes pov-
erty of speech, decreased spontaneous movement, un-
changing facial expression, paucity of expressive gesture,
affective nonresponse, and lack of vocal inflection. The
second, a disorganization dimension, includes symptoms
of inappropriate affect, poverty of content of speech, tan-
gentiality, derailment, pressure of speech, and distractibil-
ity. The third, a psychoticism dimension (also called real-
ity distortion), includes hallucinations and delusional
ideas. These results confirm the importance of negative
symptoms and suggest that positive symptoms should
be further subdivided into a psychotic and a disorganiza-
tion dimension.
However, factor analysis demonstrates only that symp-
toms are correlated with one another in the specific groups
of patients studied. The dimensions identified by factor
analysis can be considered to be valid only if they have
meaningful relationships with other clinical or biological
measures. The validity of these dimensions has been sup-
ported by studies demonstrating relationships with neuro-
psychological measures, longitudinal course, and neuro-
imaging measures (41, 42, 4852). It has been posited that
although medication may have differential effects on these
three dimensions, they represent related but distinguish-
able components of the disease process in schizophrenia.
The DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia closely
align with the three dimensions identified in the factor
analyses reviewed here, representing the application of
such concepts to clinical practice. Agreeing on the value of
this widely accepted application, the working group then
considered assessment instrument(s) on which an opera-
tional definition of symptom remission could be practi-
cally based. Subsequently, three validated, widely used
assessment scales were identified: 1) a single scale repre-
sented by the Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symp-
toms (SAPS) and the Scale for the Assessment of Negative
Symptoms (SANS) (52, 53), 2) the Positive and Negative
Syndrome Scale (54), and 3) the Brief Psychiatric Rating
Scale (BPRS) (55).
The SAPS, a 34-item scale used to assess positive symp-
toms in schizophrenia, is designed for use in conjunction
with the 25-item SANS, which is used to assess negative
symptoms; scoring ranges from 0 (no abnormality) to 5
(severe). Ratings from the SAPS and SANS (52, 53) are di-
vided into three symptom dimensions, including psychot-
icism (hallucinations and delusions), negative symptoms
(affective flattening, alogia, avolition-apathy, and anhe-
donia-asociality), and disorganization (inappropriate af-
fect, bizarre behavior, and formal thought disorder) (45).
The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (54) is a 30-
item inventory assessing the absence or severity of schizo-
446 http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org
phrenia symptoms across three subscales: positive symp-
toms (items P1P7, including hallucinatory behavior,
delusions, and conceptual disorganization), negative
symptoms (items N1N7, including blunted affect, social
and emotional withdrawal, and lack of spontaneity), and
general psychopathology symptoms (items G1G16, in-
cluding mannerisms and posturing, unusual thought con-
tent, and lack of insight). Each item is scored on a scale
ranging from 1 (absent) to 7 (extreme), with item ratings
incorporating the behavioral effect of symptoms as well as
their severity. The BPRS (55) is an 18-item scale originally
formulated by using a 7-point range from 1 (not present)
to 7 (most severe), although a 6-point version (0, not
present, to 6, most severe) also exists. Ratings are based on
clinical observations of symptoms (tension, emotional
withdrawal, mannerisms and posturing, motor retarda-
tion, and uncooperativeness) and subjects verbal report
of symptoms (conceptual disorganization, unusual
though content, anxiety, guilt feelings, grandiosity, de-
pressive mood, hostility, somatic concern, hallucinatory
behavior, suspiciousness, and blunted affect) (56).
Based on an examination of these scales, the working
group identified appropriate criteria to serve as the basis
for defining symptomatic remission in schizophrenia. The
goal was to align significant research on symptom factors
in schizophrenia and their practically applied outcome
(DSM-IV criteria) with major symptom domains that sig-
nificantly affect the course of illness. Although the work-
ing group recognized that a variety of symptom domains
(e.g., depression, anxiety) also affect patient outcome and
well-being, consensus was reached to maintain a focused,
diagnostic-based definition. In addition, the working
group proposed that remission criteria might be described
separately for positive and negative symptoms, to allow
primary consideration of these symptom groups indepen-
dently in the assessment of symptomatic remission. It
should be noted that a potential complication in the as-
sessment of negative symptoms is the possibility that
symptoms in certain domains, such as anhedonia, may be
secondary (as a side effect of neuroleptic treatment or a
symptom of comorbid depression) rather than primary.
Likewise, positive symptoms may sometimes be second-
ary (e.g., agitated disorganized behavior secondary to
akathisia).
Specific items selected for consideration as criteria for
remission in schizophrenia were chosen to map the three
dimensions of psychopathology identified by factor analy-
ses and the five criteria for schizophrenia specified in
DSM-IV (see Table 2 for details). With regard to severity,
the working group consensus defined a score of mild or
less (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale item scores of
3; BPRS item scores of 3, using the 17 range for each
item; SAPS and SANS item scores of 2) simultaneously on
all items as representative of an impairment level consis-
tent with symptomatic remission of illness. Given the
long-term course and intrinsic character of schizophrenia,
Am J Psychiatry 162:3, March 2005
 ANDREASEN, CARPENTER, KANE, ET AL.

TABLE 2. Proposed Items for Remission Criteria With Cross-Scale Correspondence and Relationship to Historical Constructs
of Psychopathology Dimensions and DSM-IV Criteria for Schizophreniaa
Proposed Remission Criteria Items
Scale for Assessment of Positive
Symptoms (SAPS) and Scale for
Assessment of Negative Symptoms Positive and Negative Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale
(SANS) Items Syndrome Scale Items (BPRS) Items
Dimension of DSM-IV Global Rating Item Item
Psychopathology Criterion Criterion Item Number Criterion Number Criterionb Number
Psychoticism (reality Delusions Delusions (SAPS) 20 Delusions P1 Grandiosity 8
distortion)
Suspiciousness 11
Unusual thought G9 Unusual thought 15
content content
Hallucinations Hallucinations 7 Hallucinatory P3 Hallucinatory 12
(SAPS) behavior behavior
Disorganization Disorganized Positive formal 34 Conceptual P2 Conceptual 4
speech thought disorganization disorganization
disorder (SAPS)
Grossly Bizarre behavior 25 Mannerisms/ G5 Mannerisms/ 7
disorganized (SAPS) posturing posturing
or catatonic
behavior
Negative symptoms Negative Affective flattening 7 Blunted affect N1 Blunted affect 16
(psychomotor symptoms (SANS)
poverty)
Avolition-apathy 17 Social withdrawal N4 No clearly related
(SANS) symptom
Anhedonia- 22
asociality (SANS)
Alogia (SANS) 13 Lack of spontaneity N6 No clearly related
symptom
a For symptomatic remission, maintenance over a 6-month period of simultaneous ratings of mild or less on all items is required. Rating scale
items are listed by item number.
b Use of BPRS criteria may be complemented by use of the SANS criteria for evaluating overall remission.

the working group consensus defined a period of 6
months as a minimum time threshold during which the
aforementioned symptom severity must be maintained to
achieve remission. When the BPRS is used in assessment,
the possibility of including the SANS should be consid-
ered, to provide complementary information on negative
symptom items in achieving the criteria for overall (posi-
tive and negative) symptomatic remission.
In consideration of clinical realities and research inter-
ests, the working group consensus provided that in addi-
tion to meeting the criteria, individuals may remain in re-
mission while experiencing minor changes in symptoms,
in the absence of appreciable effects on daily function or
subjective well-being. Ongoing or emerging thoughts re-
garding self-harm or harm of others were considered to be
a critical focus for clinical care; the relationship of these
thoughts to remission may depend on their presence as
part of a depressive versus psychotic disorder.
Implementation of these criteria should provide re-
searchers and clinicians with a robust, well-defined out-
come goal in the long-term treatment of schizophrenia,
facilitating comparisons of effectiveness across therapeu-
tic modalities. Moreover, the use of these criteria may
more closely align the interests and goals of clinicians,
professional organizations, commercial entities, and reg-
ulatory agencies with those of patients, their families, and
caregivers. To facilitate the adoption and implementation
of these criteria, the working group proposed parallel,
cross-scale remission criteria items (Table 2). As part of
the evaluation of the proposed remission criteria, and to
expand knowledge about the relationship of remission to
recovery of functioning, both academic and commercial
interests should include metrics of patient functioning in
future clinical investigations. The implementation of
criteria for symptomatic remission will support efforts
around the development of criteria for recovery from
schizophrenia, which is conceptually related to and facili-
tated by symptom stabilization and remission.
Conclusions
The Remission in Schizophrenia Working Group was
formed to develop criteria for symptomatic remission in
patients with schizophrenia, in a manner similar to con-
sensus development in mood and anxiety disorders. The
timeliness of these criteria is reinforced by the growing un-
derstanding of disease course, by evolving treatment op-
tions, and by the constrained outcome expectations held
by affected individuals, care providers, and clinicians.
These criteria are proposed with the goals of further exam-
ining their validity and utility and of providing momen-
tum and support for definitions of recovery or for other
types of definitions that would include functional criteria.
The ability to incorporate the growing amount of informa-

Am J Psychiatry 162:3, March 2005 http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org 447

REMISSION IN SCHIZOPHRENIA
tion related to cognitive dysfunction remains present,
pending the evolving consensus around core deficits asso-
ciated with schizophrenia. Acceptance, refinement, and
use of these criteria should help to facilitate comparisons
of effectiveness across the range of available therapeutic
options and to support a positive, longer-term approach
regarding outcome for patients with schizophrenia.
Received May 18, 2004; revision received Aug. 3, 2004; accepted
Aug. 30, 2004. From the Department of Psychiatry, University of
Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa; The MIND Institute and the Departments of
Psychiatry, Neurology, and Neuroscience, University of New Mexico,
Albuquerque, N.M.; Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Balti-
more; Zucker Hillside Hospital, Glen Oaks, N.Y.; Janssen Pharmaceu-
tica Products, LP; UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute, Los Angeles; and
the National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Md. Address corre-
spondence and reprint requests to Dr. Lasser, Janssen Pharmaceutica
Products, LP, 1125 Trenton-Harbourton Rd., Office A20904, Titusville,
NJ 08560-0200; rlasser@janus.jnj.com (e-mail).
Logistical support for a single-day Remission in Schizophrenia
Working Group meeting, including consultative fees, was provided by
Janssen Pharmaceutica Products, LP, Titusville, N.J. Subsequent ef-
forts to refine the criteria and develop the consensus into a manu-
script for publication were not financially supported. Dr. Lasser is an
employee of Janssen Pharmaceutica Products, LP. Review of and sup-
port for the consensus criteria were provided by international ex-
perts in a February 2004 meeting sponsored by Johnson & Johnson;
meeting participants included Thomas Burns, M.D., Roberto Caval-
laro, M.D., Ph.D., Stefan Leucht, M.D., Bernard Lachaux, M.D., Miquel
Bernardo, M.D., Celso Arango, M.D., Lars Helldin, M.D., Wolfgang
Fleischhacker, M.D., Jim van Os, M.D., Ph.D., and Joseph Peuskens,
M.D., Ph.D.
References
1. Frank E, Prien RF, Jarrett RB, Keller MB, Kupfer DJ, Lavori PW,
Rush AJ, Weissman MM: Conceptualization and rationale for
consensus definitions of terms in major depressive disorder:
remission, recovery, relapse, and recurrence. Arch Gen Psychi-
atry 1991; 48:851885
2. Ninan PT: Dissolving the burden of generalized anxiety disor-
der. J Clin Psychiatry 2001; 62(suppl 19):510
3. Nierenberg AA, Wright EC: Evolution of remission as the new
standard in the treatment of depression. J Clin Psychiatry 1999;
60(suppl 22):711
4. Rund BR: Fully recovered schizophrenics: a retrospective study
of some premorbid and treatment factors. Psychiatry 1990;
53:127139
5. Rund BR, Torgalsboen AK: Fully recovered schizophrenics com-
pared to chronic patients on premorbid and treatment charac-
teristics. Psychiatry and Psychobiology 1989; 5:113121
6. Torgalsboen AK: Full recovery from schizophrenia: the prog-
nostic role of premorbid adjustment, symptoms at first admis-
sion, precipitating events and gender. Psychiatry Res 1999; 88:
143152
7. Liberman RP, Kopelowicz A, Venture J, Gutkind D: Operational
criteria and factors related to recovery from schizophrenia. Int
Rev Psychiatry 2002; 14:256272
8. Lister TA, Armitage JO: Non-Hodgkins lymphoma, in Clinical
Oncology, 2nd ed. Edited by Abeloff MD, Armitage JO, Lichter
AS, Niederhuber JE. New York, Churchill Livingstone, 2000, pp
22682269
9. Prevoo MLL, van Gestel AM, van T Hof MA, Van Rijswjk MH, van
de Putte LBA, Van Riel PLCM: Remission in a prospective study
of patients with rheumatoid arthritis: American Rheumatism
Association preliminary remission criteria in relation to the dis-
ease activity score. Br J Rheumatol 1996; 35:11011105
448 http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org
10. Miller JR: Multiple sclerosis, in Merritts Neurology, 10th ed. Ed-
ited by Rowland LP. Philadelphia, Lippincott Williams &
Wilkins, 2000, pp 778787
11. Doyle AC, Pollack MH: Establishment of remission criteria for
anxiety disorders. J Clin Psychiatry 2003; 64(suppl 15):4045
12. van Os J: Is there a continuum of psychotic experiences in the
general population? Epidemiol Psichiatr Soc 2003; 12:242252
13. McGorry PD, McFarlane C, Patton GC, Bell R, Hibbert ME, Jack-
son HJ, Bowes G: The prevalence of prodromal features of
schizophrenia in adolescence: a preliminary survey. Acta Psy-
chiatr Scand 1995; 92:241249
14. Hamilton M: A rating scale for depression. J Neurol Neurosurg
Psychiatry 1960; 23:5662
15. Nierenberg AA, Wright EC: Evolution of remission as the new
standard in the treatment of depression. J Clin Psychiatry 1999;
60(suppl 22):711
16. Thase ME: Redefining antidepressant efficacy toward long-
term recovery. J Clin Psychiatry 1999; 60(suppl 6):1519
17. Ferrier IN: Characterizing the ideal antidepressant therapy to
achieve remission. J Clin Psychiatry 2001; 62(suppl 26):1015
18. Ballenger JC, Davidson JR, Lecrubier Y, Nutt DJ, Baldwin DS,
den Boer JA, Kasper S, Shear MK: Consensus statement on
panic disorder from the International Consensus Group on De-
pression and Anxiety. J Clin Psychiatry 1998; 59(suppl 8):4754
19. Nierenberg AA, DeCecco LM: Definitions of antidepressant
treatment response, remission, nonresponse, partial response,
and other relevant outcomes: a focus on treatment-resistant
depression. J Clin Psychiatry 2001; 62(suppl 16):59
20. Sheehan DV: Defining remission in generalized anxiety disor-
der: venlafaxine extended release comparative data. J Clin Psy-
chiatry 2001; 62(suppl 19):2631
21. Kordy H, Kramer B, Palmer RL, Papezova H, Pellet J, Richard M,
Treasure J: Remission, recovery, relapse, and recurrence in eat-
ing disorders: conceptualization and illustration of a validation
strategy. J Clin Psychol 2002; 58:833846
22. Carr VJ: Recovery from schizophrenia: a review of patterns of
psychosis. Schizophr Bull 1983; 9:95119
23. Lehman AF, Steinwachs DM: Patterns of usual care for schizo-
phrenia: initial results from the Schizophrenia Patient Out-
comes Study (PORT) client survey. Schizophr Bull 1998; 24:11
20
24. Falloon IRH: Family interventions for mental disorders: effi-
cacy and effectiveness. World Psychiatry 2003; 2:2037
25. Lehman AF, Steinwachs DM: Evidence-based psychosocial
treatment practices in schizophrenia: lessons from the patient
outcomes research team (PORT) project. J Am Acad Psychoanal
Dyn Psychiatry 2003; 31:141154
26. Falloon IRH: Optimal treatment for psychosis in an interna-
tional multisite demonstration project. Psychiatr Serv 1999;
50:615618
27. Young AS, Sullivan G, Burnam MA, Brook RH: Measuring the
quality of outpatient treatment for schizophrenia. Arch Gen
Psychiatry 1998; 55:611617
28. Emsley R, Oosthuizen P: The new and evolving pharmacother-
apy of schizophrenia. Psychiatr Clin North Am 2003; 26:141
163
29. Serretti A, De Ronchi D, Lorenzi C, Berardi D: New antipsychot-
ics and schizophrenia: a review on efficacy and side effects.
Curr Med Chem 2004; 11:343358
30. Kane JM, Leucht S, Carpenter D, Docherty JP: Optimizing phar-
macologic treatment of psychotic disorders: introduction:
methods, commentary, and summary. J Clin Psychiatry 2003;
64(suppl 12):519
31. Lieberman JA, Perkins D, Belger A, Chakos M, Jarskog F, Boteva
K, Gilmore J: The early stages of schizophrenia: speculations on
pathogenesis, pathophysiology, and therapeutic approaches.
Biol Psychiatry 2001; 50:884897
Am J Psychiatry 162:3, March 2005

32. Robinson DG, Woerner MG, McMeniman M, Mendelowitz A,
Bilder RM: Symptomatic and functional recovery from a first
episode of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Am J Psy-
chiatry 2004; 161:473479
33. American Psychiatric Association: Practice Guideline for the
Treatment of Patients With Schizophrenia. Am J Psychiatry
1997; 154(April suppl)
34. Lieberman J, Jody D, Geisler S, Alvir J, Loebel A, Szymanski S,
Woerner M, Borenstein M: Time course and biologic correlates
of treatment response in first-episode schizophrenia. Arch Gen
Psychiatry 1993; 50:369376
35. Amminger GP, Resch F, Mutschlechner R, Friedrich MH, Ernst E:
Premorbid adjustment and remission of positive symptoms in
first-episode psychosis. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 1997; 6:
212218
36. Eaton WW, Thara R, Federman E, Tien A: Remission and relapse
in schizophrenia: the Madras longitudinal study. J Nerv Ment
Dis 1998; 186:357363
37. Ho BC, Andreasen NC, Flaum M, Nopoulos P, Miller D: Un-
treated initial psychosis: its relation to quality of life and symp-
tom remission in first-episode schizophrenia. Am J Psychiatry
2000; 157:808815
38. Curtis CE, Calkins ME, Grove WM, Feil KJ, Iacono WG: Saccadic
disinhibition in patients with acute and remitted schizophre-
nia and their first-degree biological relatives. Am J Psychiatry
2001; 158:100106
39. Yen CF, Chen CS, Yeh ML, Yen JY, Ker JH, Yang SJ: Comparison of
insight in patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder in
remission. J Nerv Ment Dis 2002; 190:847849
40. Andreasen NC, Carpenter WT: Diagnosis and classification of
schizophrenia. Schizophr Bull 1993; 19:199214
41. Bilder RM, Mukherjee S, Rieder RO, Pandurangi AK: Symptom-
atic and neuropsychological components of defect states.
Schizophr Bull 1985; 11:409419
42. Andreasen NC, Grove WM: Evaluation of positive and negative
symptoms in schizophrenia. Psychiatrie et Psychobiologie
1986; 1:108121
43. Liddle PF: The symptoms of chronic schizophrenia: a re-exam-
ination of the positive-negative dichotomy. Br J Psychiatry
1987; 151:145151
Am J Psychiatry 162:3, March 2005
ANDREASEN, CARPENTER, KANE, ET AL.
44. Moscarelli M, Maffei C, Cesana BM, Boato P, Farma T, Grilli A,
Lingiardi V, Cazzullo CL: An international perspective on assess-
ment of negative and positive symptoms in schizophrenia. Am
J Psychiatry 1987; 144:15951598
45. Andreasen NC, Arndt S, Alliger R, Miller D, Flaum M: Symptoms
of schizophrenia: methods, meanings, and mechanisms. Arch
Gen Psychiatry 1995; 52:341351
46. Gur RE, Mozley PD, Resnick SM, Levick S, Erwin R, Saykin AJ, Gur
RC: Relations among clinical scales in schizophrenia. Am J Psy-
chiatry 1991; 148:472478
47. Liddle PF, Barnes TRE, Morris D, Haque S: Three syndromes in
chronic schizophrenia. Br J Psychiatry 1989; 155(suppl 7):119
122
48. Liddle PF, Friston KJ, Frith CD, Frackowiak RSJ: Cerebral blood
flow and mental processes in schizophrenia. J R Soc Med 1992;
85:224226
49. Arndt S, Andreasen NC, Flaum M, Miller D, Nopoulos P: A lon-
gitudinal study of symptom dimensions in schizophrenia: pre-
diction and patterns of change. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1995; 52:
352360
50. OLeary DS, Flaum M, Kesler ML, Flashman LA, Arndt S, An-
dreasen NC: Cognitive correlates of the negative, disorganized,
and psychotic symptom dimensions of schizophrenia. J Neu-
ropsychiatry Clin Neurosci 2000; 12:415
51. Crespo-Facorro B, Paradiso S, Andreasen NC, OLeary DS, Wat-
kins GL, Ponto LL, Hichwa RD: Neural mechanisms of anhe-
donia in schizophrenia: a PET study of response to unpleasant
and pleasant odors. JAMA 2001; 286:427435
52. Andreasen NC, Olsen S: Negative v positive schizophrenia: def-
inition and validation. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1982; 39:789794
53. Andreasen NC: Negative symptoms in schizophrenia: defini-
tion and reliability. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1982; 39:784788
54. Kay SR, Fiszbein A, Opler LA: The positive and negative syn-
drome scale (PANSS) for schizophrenia. Schizophr Bull 1987;
13:261276
55. Overall JE, Gorham DR: The Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale. Psy-
chol Rep 1962; 10:799812
56. Sajatovic M, Ramirez LF: Rating Scales in Mental Health. Hud-
son, Ohio, Lexi-Comp, 2001, pp 116117
http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org 449